On 25 and 26 September 2025, CHANCE Network had the opportunity to gather in Tirana for a new training session within the framework of the EU Youth in Power project, hosted by our partner ENGIM Albania – Ente Nazionale Giuseppini del Murialdo.
A first day dedicated to training and capacity building
The first day was devoted to an intensive training programme, enriched by the contributions of high-level speakers:
- Livia Kreko & Klaudio Agolli – Durresi Aktiv / Art and Activism Center, Durrës
- Eva Sonneville – Crime Halt (France) and Pauline Cabiral – Demains Libre (France)
- Lindita Çela – OCCRNA (Network for Reporting on Corruption and Organised Crime in Albania) and represnetative of SHTEG
- Klotilda Kosta – Partners Albania
- Peter Danis – Representative of the EU Delegation in Albania
- Risena Xhaja – Head of the Albanian Agency for the Administration of Seized Assets
- Borana Pepa – ENGIM / Testimony on the Ke Buono social pastry
Participants benefited from a comprehensive capacity-building programme designed to foster youth engagement and strengthen their active role in civil society.
A particular emphasis was placed on the social reuse of confiscated, abandoned, or underused assets, a concrete tool to:
- promote youth employment,
- reflect around social economy and circular economy,
- and prevent criminal infiltration.
The discussions on the situation in Italy, France, and Albania provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of the legal frameworks governing asset confiscation, how confiscation processes are implemented, and the subsequent management of these assets. They highlighted not only the immediate impacts of confiscation on organized crime prevention but also the opportunities for social reuse and economic empowerment. It also emphasized the need for effective strategies to ensure that confiscated assets contribute positively to communities. This comparative perspective allowed participants to identify best practices, potential pitfalls, and ongoing challenges, fostering a deeper awareness of how different national systems approach the full cycle of asset confiscation and its role in combating criminal infiltration.
The second day of training consisted of a field visit to a significant example of social entrepreneurship born in a confiscated asset in the city of Elbasan: Tradita ime Artizanale (“My Craft Tradition”), a tailor’s shop that promotes the empowerment of women and their job inclusion through the production and sale of handmade textile products. What was once a hub for drug trafficking, following seizure and confiscation, has now become a project that guarantees a future and sustainability and has a positive impact on the whole community.
Alignment with the CHANCE Manifesto
This training is fully aligned with the strategic priorities of the CHANCE Manifesto, which aims to: empower young people as proactive actors of democratic change in Europe, and develop concrete tools to strengthen community resilience against organised crime and corruption.
A shared commitment for the future
Through these initiatives, CHANCE Network reaffirms its commitment to: building capacity, sharing knowledge, and amplifying civic engagement in the fight against organised crime and corruption.
***Next stop: Berlin!***
Antimafia Seminar 2025 – Berlin
The journey of CHANCE continues, bringing together partners, researchers, and civil society actors for the next European meeting dedicated to strengthening cooperation and civic engagement against organised crime and corruption.
Our commitment remains strong, and future initiatives will further expand the reach of our joint actions in Europe and beyond.
EU Youth in Power is a project co-funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ programme.
